Certain types of medical devices are provided in the form of elongate implants that are deployed in the body and assume a predetermined configuration so as to apply force to internal tissues. One example of such devices is a lung volume reduction coil (LVRC), for example a nitinol wire that is prepared in a coiled configuration, stressed into a relatively straight delivery configuration for delivery into the lung through a catheter, and allowed to resume its compact coiled shape in the lung. Examples of LRVCs and their therapeutic uses can be found in WO2007/106495 and WO2010/030993.
It has been proposed to provide the LVRC in a rigid container to protect the LVRC from handling and damage during shipment, and to provide a relatively sterile packaging in which an LVRC may be shipped unstrained in its original manufactured coiled shape. Where such a container is used, it is necessary to be able to couple the LRVC to a forceps-like device for withdrawing the LRVC form the container into a delivery cartridge. The spring-like nature of the LVRC can make grasping the end of the device, and withdrawing it smoothly from the container difficult in certain cases.
It is against this background that the present invention has been made. Accordingly, improved containers or shell encasings for medical devices, and particularly LVRC are desired.